Airport board fails to pass budget

Andrew Krech / The Citizens' Voice
Luzerne County Manager Robert Lawton was one of two Luzerne County officials, joining county Councilman Stephen A. Urban, to vote against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport's 2014 budget.

PITTSTON TWP. - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport's budget for 2014 failed to pass again Thursday after two Luzerne County officials voted in opposition.

Luzerne County Manager Robert Lawton and Councilman Stephen A Urban of the bi-county board of directors expressed opposition to the county paying a $134,752 subsidy toward an annual retirement contribution for airport employees.

Lackawanna County Commissioners Jim Wansacz, Corey O'Brien and Patrick M. O'Malley and Luzerne County Councilman Rick Williams voted in favor of the budget which lists a $227,364 subsidy from the two counties. Lackawanna County's share is $92,612, airport Director Barry Centini said. Two members from each county need to approve the budget for it to pass.

Lawton said he believes the payment should be part of the airport's operating cost rather than being paid by a subsidy from the counties.

"In years past, we found that there actually were sufficient funds and a surplus in the operating budget that could have paid for it," Lawton said. "I believe the airport can be self-sustaining."

The subsidy has been a point of contention for the last few years and the airport has been operating under the same budget since 2012. Not having an approved budget does not stop the airport from operating, Lawton said.

Yet, Wansacz argued, "We have to come together. I think it's our responsibility to try to get a budget passed."

Wansacz is concerned with the budget listing total expenses at $5,199,714 and total revenues at $5,204,027, which leaves just a $4,313 surplus.

"If we were turn around to give the money back to the counties, this airport would be in the red a couple hundred thousand dollars," he said. "What would we do in our area without a regional airport?"

Wansacz asked Lawton to look at the budget and see where he could come up with more than $200,000 of cuts that wouldn't affect the airport in a drastic way.

"I believe it's our responsibility to residents of both Luzerne and Lackawanna counties to provide an airport," Wansacz said. "We all know it costs us money to do that, but this is an economic development, this is a quality-of-life engine and without a subsidy from both counties, this airport doesn't succeed."

Urban told Lackawanna County Commissioners they would not get seven votes from Luzerne County Council in favor of paying the subsidy to the airport, saying the council is trying to reduce expenditures. He also said he believes the airport should pay the annual contribution payment, not the county. He added he believes non-union airport employees should get a pay raise.

Wansacz argued they can't add expenses and take money away at the same time.

"We believe this (the airport) is a valuable asset for both counties and the region," he said. "We need Luzerne County. If the council doesn't believe this is a necessary regional asset or something Luzerne County should be putting in toward, then that's their choice. But, I think that's a bad idea."

In other business, the airport board approved an agreement to lease 1.75 acres of land to the Tipsy Turtle Airport Pub at 28 Concorde Drive, Dupont. The airport owns the land. The initial term of the lease agreement will begin April 1 and end March 31, 2019. The second term, ending March 31, 2024, will automatically begin unless the tenant notifies the airport of its intent not to renew.

Assistant Airport Director Michael Conner announced passengers in February decreased 7.2 percent in February compared to last February. He attributed the decrease to the seasonal loss of a daily United flight to Chicago O'Hare and the loss of 48 flights due to bad weather.

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2115

Airport, Avoca exits on I-81 will be combined

The exits to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport and Avoca, 178A and 178B on Interstate 81, will be combined into one single exit starting Tuesday, March 25.

The change is part of a $41.9 million airport reconstruction project. Paul Smith of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, a construction manager for the project, updated the airport bi-county board of directors about the project at a meeting Thursday.

The new exit on Interstate 81 will be labeled "Exit 178 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport and Avoca)" and will be at the exit that is currently Exit 178B. Exit 178A will be closed. This change will be permanent and will affect the northbound and southbound lanes.

The $41.9 million airport reconstruction project began in June 2013 and will include widening of bridges on Interstate 81, rehabilitation of existing bridges over Lidy Road, state Route 315 (Airport Road), and Plane Street, replacement of the pedestrian bridge just north of the Avoca exit, construction of a new exit and entrance ramps, three new roundabouts, construction of two new bridges and construction of a new roadway.

The construction of the new Navy Way Road will connect Commerce Road in Grimes Industrial Park to Terminal Road. The new roadway will travel over the Pennsylvania Turnpike and connect to Navy Way Road near the Holiday Inn. The contract was awarded to Pennsy Supply on May 21 and is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2015.

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